Businesses faring well by going green

Monday

Nov 19, 2012 at 12:01 AM

I recently had the opportunity to meet with representatives of two of our newest large businesses in Henderson County, Sierra Nevada and Legacy Paddlesports. Both businesses had many options about where to locate their East Coast operations. Rather than come here for a cheap source of labor or minimalist environmental regulations, they value our strong connection to the land, good quality water and a great place to live.

David WeintraubECO

I recently had the opportunity to meet with representatives of two of our newest large businesses in Henderson County, Sierra Nevada and Legacy Paddlesports. Both businesses had many options about where to locate their East Coast operations. Rather than come here for a cheap source of labor or minimalist environmental regulations, they value our strong connection to the land, good quality water and a great place to live.They also thought this would be an ideal place for them to demonstrate what it means to be a corporation that cares about the local environment.One of Sierra Nevada’s first acts upon arrival was to meet with environmental organizations in the region to learn what was being done to protect water quality, given how important clean water is to its chief product. Sierra Nevada also happens to be one of the greenest companies in the country, priding itself on its corporate responsibility to the natural resources around it.Some of the innovations Sierra Nevada is known for include housing one of the largest privately owned solar installations in the country, developing a recycling program that diverts 99.6 percent of the solid waste leaving its facility from the landfill, and sourcing packaging that contains the highest amount of recycled content that still meets high standards for quality. It also has been able to reduce its water usage to almost half of what most breweries in the country typically use.Legacy Paddlesports, a manufacturer of quality kayaks and other recreational boats, also prides itself on its green creds. It understands that without a clean environment, paddling has little future. As a result, it has worked hard to limit its environmental impact by creating many kayak components that can be recycled at the end of their usefulness. It heavily recycles so that virtually all waste materials flow to recyclers. It also has created a corporate culture that supports like-minded organizations that protect the local environment, including establishing paid work days in which all 120 employees are expected to work together on community betterment projects.According to Bill Medlin, the company’s CEO, what attracted Legacy most to our community was our first-class whitewater on the Green River as well as a supportive outdoor culture.Both companies saw their investments in our community not just in dollars and cents but in terms of promoting greenways and blueways. They know that protecting land would reap substantial dividends in good will and a higher quality of life for their employees while producing a better, more profitable product. According to Medlin, “Taking care of local waterways only makes sense. Our business depends upon kayakers and others being able to enjoy what our local streams have to offer.”Sierra Nevada and Legacy Paddlesports promote a philosophy that is increasingly taking hold in our region: that “being green” creates positive economic incentives to the community. Whether you look at local summer camps that bring in $110 million a year to Henderson County, flyfishing that brings in $375 million to WNC or recreational boating that pours millions more into county coffers, protecting land protects jobs and our economic integrity.Some politicians like to tout the notion that environmental regulations damage business and jobs. Anyone who has lived here for a day can easily discount those hollow words. Protecting our mountains, green spaces and streams provides undeniable direct economic benefits. That is why our local economy depends upon better environmental stewardship.To get there, we need the Seven Falls development to be restored rather than build another “road to nowhere,” we need steep slope rules that guard against the debacle that occurred in Carriage Park where many homes had damaged walls and foundations due to poor construction on steep slopes, and we all need to become better informed on how to protect the hundreds of streams in our own backyard.

For 25 years, the Environmental and Conservation Organization (ECO) has been the go-to organization in this region, creating a strong voice for the environment to protect our natural resources, our rural character, our sense of place and our economic integrity. Given our history and legacy, it’s easy to take for granted that efforts like ours will always be here creating collaborations with farmers, businesses, students and local residents. Yet, we’ve had to weather some fairly serious storms in the past few years while growing to become a more effective watchdog of our natural resources.If you love living here and appreciate the “small town” feeling surrounded by natural wonders that are protected by local watchdogs who care, please consider supporting ECO’s work this holiday season. Given that we are a volunteer-driven effort, your support reaps real benefits every day in the form of cleaner streams, better protected land and a greater knowledge of how to balance growth with environmental protection.What you get in return is our pledge to continue to protect our community with a team of vigilant volunteers, professionals and staff dedicated to making sure our natural heritage continues to sustain our quality of life day after day, year after year.To make your gift, log on to www.eco-wnc.org or call ECO at 692-0385. Thank you!